Guest guest Posted December 20, 2003 Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 Hey everyone! I just had my top AND bottom jaw broken on December 11. They broke my top jaw in 3 places and they moved my bottom jaw forward and extended my chin a bit. My cheeks are still rather swollen and I cant feel my chin or parts of my lips or cheeks due to numbness. I'm glad its finally over, but all I've been eatting is baby food and grits! WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO EAT??? I want REAL food.. haha I don't have a zip N squeeze, though I've heard great things about it. I've been using a spoon or a cup to eat, and its kinda messy, but it works. I had this operation done in Chapel Hill, NC... by Dr. Turvey, one of the best around I hear. He did an awesome job. They also pulled all 4 of my wisdom teeth, which is where probably most of my pain comes from. I just yesterday got where I could crack a smile.. I was so proud.. haha If anyone would like to talk more about it or comment, please do. I really appreciate everyone's support, and I couldn't have done it without this support group, because that is where we met Donna and she has been the best ever on helping! I hope I can help someone else the way she helped me through this. Please email me at: drummer_gurl5@... Thanks! Gentry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 20, 2003 Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 Hi ! Well, um, nope. They didn't " break " your jaws, I suspect. Rather, they made very carefully calculated cuts. I will spare you more of what I know about that and the hows and wheres, unless you wanna know. It is soon after surgery (although it probably does not feel so) to be concerned about swelling and numbness. Those things, I would wager, will get better. But since you seem concerned about it, ask your doc what he expects. Eating: Are you wired? Banded? Can you open your mouth at all? Since you can do baby food and grits, I suspect that you aren't wired, and that you can open a bit. In any case, blendable things are fair game, if you can reduce them to liquid. (If you can open, you have even more leeway, but just don't even think about chewing.) I had lots of yogurt. Lots of ice cream. Lots of blended soups. Shrimp mousse, specially made for me by a very special friend. As for " real food " -- how about pasta, blended with lots of sauce and strained? Some folks who'd reached the " mushing stage " have blended Mexican food with great success, using taco sauce as a thinner. Broth and milk are great thinning media, too. I whizzed up a lot of soups, being careful not to leave any chunks that would even tempt me to chew. Smoothies, of course. Milkshakes. Juices (including tomato, if the acidity doesn't hurt your mouth). Good wishes to you. cammie > Hey everyone! I just had my top AND bottom jaw broken on December > 11. They broke my top jaw in 3 places and they moved my bottom jaw > forward and extended my chin a bit. My cheeks are still rather > swollen and I cant feel my chin or parts of my lips or cheeks due to > numbness. I'm glad its finally over, but all I've been eatting is > baby food and grits! WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO EAT??? I want REAL > food.. haha I don't have a zip N squeeze, though I've heard great > things about it. I've been using a spoon or a cup to eat, and its > kinda messy, but it works. I had this operation done in Chapel Hill, > NC... by Dr. Turvey, one of the best around I hear. He did > an awesome job. They also pulled all 4 of my wisdom teeth, which is > where probably most of my pain comes from. I just yesterday got > where I could crack a smile.. I was so proud.. haha If anyone would > like to talk more about it or comment, please do. I really > appreciate everyone's support, and I couldn't have done it without > this support group, because that is where we met Donna and she has > been the best ever on helping! I hope I can help someone else the > way she helped me through this. Please email me at: > drummer_gurl5@h... Thanks! > > Gentry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 21, 2003 Report Share Posted December 21, 2003 Hey Cammie! Thanks for replying. Well Dr. Turvey said he was going to " break " them in 3 places... parts of my top jaw is being held together by " biodegratable " screws (they will eventually desolve).. Thats what he said. I like the idea of just " cuts " better though. Most of the swelling has gone down, and my local orthodontist checked me the other day and said I was a little more swollen then most people, but I had alot more detail done and both jaws " broken " . I get a lot of tingles in my chin and cheeks, and I think that is a good sign. Everything is getting better though.. I'm starting to feel more comfortable, and I can really see big differences! The only thing I can't stand is the drooling.. does anyone else have a drooling problem? I can't feel my bottom lip, so its hard to control it and keep from drooling, so I constantly have a towel under my chin.. I have a stint over my top teeth, and I am just banded. I can take them out when I eat and open and close my mouth to exercise or stretch them a little, so its not really that bad. Today I actually ate some lasanya (can't spell), which was REALLY good, since all I'd been eatting was grits and baby food like I said, and soup broth. I've also been able to eat some mashed potatoes and ice cream. My tongue kinda feels raw or it burns when I have something with acid or pepper in it. I don't chew any, but I open and close a lot when I eat and when I brush.. is that bad too? Sometimes I hear popping or a cracking sound when I close my mouth or when I'm eatting.. I'm always scared that something's out of place or I messed something up. I guess its normal though. I think I just get kinda paranoid. I'm glad I went through with it.. I know I'm going to really be happy with the final results after everything is back to normal. Well, I thank you for the responce, and any more suggestions or comments (from anyone!) feel free to write back! I really do appreciate it! ~*Another survivor!*~ ~ > > Hey everyone! I just had my top AND bottom jaw broken on December > > 11. They broke my top jaw in 3 places and they moved my bottom jaw > > forward and extended my chin a bit. My cheeks are still rather > > swollen and I cant feel my chin or parts of my lips or cheeks due > to > > numbness. I'm glad its finally over, but all I've been eatting is > > baby food and grits! WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO EAT??? I want REAL > > food.. haha I don't have a zip N squeeze, though I've heard great > > things about it. I've been using a spoon or a cup to eat, and its > > kinda messy, but it works. I had this operation done in Chapel > Hill, > > NC... by Dr. Turvey, one of the best around I hear. He did > > an awesome job. They also pulled all 4 of my wisdom teeth, which > is > > where probably most of my pain comes from. I just yesterday got > > where I could crack a smile.. I was so proud.. haha If anyone > would > > like to talk more about it or comment, please do. I really > > appreciate everyone's support, and I couldn't have done it without > > this support group, because that is where we met Donna and she has > > been the best ever on helping! I hope I can help someone else the > > way she helped me through this. Please email me at: > > drummer_gurl5@h... Thanks! > > > > Gentry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 21, 2003 Report Share Posted December 21, 2003 , similar feelings and happenings. Wondering that cracking sound should make a cracking sound is nerve wrecking. Drool, drool and more drool. > > > Hey everyone! I just had my top AND bottom jaw broken on > December > > > 11. They broke my top jaw in 3 places and they moved my bottom > jaw > > > forward and extended my chin a bit. My cheeks are still rather > > > swollen and I cant feel my chin or parts of my lips or cheeks due > > to > > > numbness. I'm glad its finally over, but all I've been eatting > is > > > baby food and grits! WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO EAT??? I want REAL > > > food.. haha I don't have a zip N squeeze, though I've heard > great > > > things about it. I've been using a spoon or a cup to eat, and > its > > > kinda messy, but it works. I had this operation done in Chapel > > Hill, > > > NC... by Dr. Turvey, one of the best around I hear. He > did > > > an awesome job. They also pulled all 4 of my wisdom teeth, which > > is > > > where probably most of my pain comes from. I just yesterday got > > > where I could crack a smile.. I was so proud.. haha If anyone > > would > > > like to talk more about it or comment, please do. I really > > > appreciate everyone's support, and I couldn't have done it > without > > > this support group, because that is where we met Donna and she > has > > > been the best ever on helping! I hope I can help someone else > the > > > way she helped me through this. Please email me at: > > > drummer_gurl5@h... Thanks! > > > > > > Gentry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 21, 2003 Report Share Posted December 21, 2003 , similar feelings and happenings. Wondering that cracking sound should make a cracking sound is nerve wrecking. Drool, drool and more drool. > > > Hey everyone! I just had my top AND bottom jaw broken on > December > > > 11. They broke my top jaw in 3 places and they moved my bottom > jaw > > > forward and extended my chin a bit. My cheeks are still rather > > > swollen and I cant feel my chin or parts of my lips or cheeks due > > to > > > numbness. I'm glad its finally over, but all I've been eatting > is > > > baby food and grits! WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO EAT??? I want REAL > > > food.. haha I don't have a zip N squeeze, though I've heard > great > > > things about it. I've been using a spoon or a cup to eat, and > its > > > kinda messy, but it works. I had this operation done in Chapel > > Hill, > > > NC... by Dr. Turvey, one of the best around I hear. He > did > > > an awesome job. They also pulled all 4 of my wisdom teeth, which > > is > > > where probably most of my pain comes from. I just yesterday got > > > where I could crack a smile.. I was so proud.. haha If anyone > > would > > > like to talk more about it or comment, please do. I really > > > appreciate everyone's support, and I couldn't have done it > without > > > this support group, because that is where we met Donna and she > has > > > been the best ever on helping! I hope I can help someone else > the > > > way she helped me through this. Please email me at: > > > drummer_gurl5@h... Thanks! > > > > > > Gentry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 22, 2003 Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 My OS said that he will use a little saw to make precise cuts except in the very back of the upper jaw where the main nerves are. He said that he has to " break " that section because cutting it (bone/nerve) would cause permanent numbness and breaking it gives me a 50/50 chance that my front teeth and palate won't remain numb forever. ~ > > > Hey everyone! I just had my top AND bottom jaw broken on > December > > > 11. They broke my top jaw in 3 places and they moved my bottom > jaw > > > forward and extended my chin a bit. My cheeks are still rather > > > swollen and I cant feel my chin or parts of my lips or cheeks due > > to > > > numbness. I'm glad its finally over, but all I've been eatting > is > > > baby food and grits! WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO EAT??? I want REAL > > > food.. haha I don't have a zip N squeeze, though I've heard > great > > > things about it. I've been using a spoon or a cup to eat, and > its > > > kinda messy, but it works. I had this operation done in Chapel > > Hill, > > > NC... by Dr. Turvey, one of the best around I hear. He > did > > > an awesome job. They also pulled all 4 of my wisdom teeth, which > > is > > > where probably most of my pain comes from. I just yesterday got > > > where I could crack a smile.. I was so proud.. haha If anyone > > would > > > like to talk more about it or comment, please do. I really > > > appreciate everyone's support, and I couldn't have done it > without > > > this support group, because that is where we met Donna and she > has > > > been the best ever on helping! I hope I can help someone else > the > > > way she helped me through this. Please email me at: > > > drummer_gurl5@h... Thanks! > > > > > > Gentry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 22, 2003 Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 Hi! Well, maybe some docs " break " jaws, but usually that's more the term used by lay people who don't see any difference. My guy does cuts, and very carefully calculated ones, at that. He won't even let the partner who's there as his assistant do the cuts -- insists on doing them all himself. The biodegradable screws and plates seem to be a coming thing. I think most docs in the U.S. still use the titanium one, but I know of several people who have had quite satisfactory results with the ones that go away. Glad things are getting better for you. And yes, the tinglies mean the nerves are trying to start to heal. And yes, many people have problems with drooling. I think you've found the best solution for that -- the towel. I suspect that you have not a " stint " but a splint. Although things may have different names in different places, and what you have may be different from the things I know. Just remember that your jaws have had considerable changes made in them, and that the forces applied to those joints are likely to be changed, too. So give 'em a break, and try to go easily on them. It is unlikely that anything you do with misplace anything, unless maybe you fall, or someone slugs you in the jaw, I think. Neither of which will happen, I trust. And you have the splint and the elastics to try to keep things lined up while you heal. Just take care, and let your body heal. Cammie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 22, 2003 Report Share Posted December 22, 2003 Well, maybe I didn't understand completely, or maybe we're dealing with semantics. In any case, thanks for clarifying, . My guy distinctly said that he makes a cut at the back of the lower jaw, then finds the nerve, then " teases the jaw apart, " so if that's what they mean by " breaking, " maybe they do. But I think it bears very little resemblance to the sort of break you might have in a riding or automobile accident, in that nothing about it is random, and little is left to chance. (Although I have heard of people having to be wired because of " a bad break, " so maybe all of us were broken.) I know that any of us who have to pay for it will be broke, unless we're millionaires! Thanks, ! ;~) > My OS said that he will use a little saw to make precise cuts except > in the very back of the upper jaw where the main nerves are. He said > that he has to " break " that section because cutting it (bone/nerve) > would cause permanent numbness and breaking it gives me a 50/50 > chance that my front teeth and palate won't remain numb forever. > > ~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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